Melbourne’s Joel Smith accused of trafficking cocaine

The AFL has confirmed that Melbourne forward Joel Smith is facing three doping violation allegations for the alleged trafficking, or attempted trafficking, of cocaine.

The allegations place Smith in a far worse position than he was facing previously.

A Herald Sun report alleged that Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) officials had uncovered multiple text messages sent by Smith allegedly referencing cocaine.

Joel Smith celebrates one of the three goals he kicked against Carlton in last year’s semi-final.Credit: AFL Photos

It is regular practice, as the investigator, for SIA to have access to athletes’ phones when it is handling a doping case.

Under the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code, trafficking is defined as “selling, giving, transporting, sending, delivering or distributing a prohibited substance, by an athlete … to any third party”.

The AFL said in a statement that SIA – the body that enforces the World Anti-Doping Code in Australia – had notified Smith that an anti-doping rule violation for possession of cocaine in September 2022 was asserted against him.

Smith’s initial charge, and suspension (he is serving a provisional suspension), arose from a positive test for cocaine and its metabolite on August 20 last year.

Smith’s career was placed in jeopardy after he had tested positive on game day via SIA. Had he tested positive under the AFL’s illicit drugs code, which would not refer to a game day positive, he would not be facing such severe consequences.

Smith had initially hoped for a three-month suspension due to changes in the WADA code that allowed a more lenient penalty if the athlete could demonstrate the positive test to an illicit drug (such as cocaine) was out of competition and without any performance-enhancing effect or intention.

Smith was the subject of an initial Sports Integrity Australia and AFL investigation after testing positive to cocaine.Credit: AFL Photos

The AFL said the three new anti-doping violations were “in addition to that previously asserted against him (in connection with a sample provided by him after the match between Melbourne and Hawthorn on 20 August 2023, which tested positive to cocaine and its metabolite, Benzoylecgonine).

“Smith will continue to be provisionally suspended pending the finalisation of all of these matters, meaning he is not permitted to be part of Melbourne’s football program, including Melbourne’s pre-season training that is currently underway.”

The Demons released their own statement on Tuesday night, stating: “The Melbourne Football Club has been advised by the AFL that further Anti-Doping Rule Violations have been asserted against Joel Smith by Sport Integrity Australia.

“The Melbourne Football Club is not authorised to make public comment while this is an ongoing matter that is being investigated by Sport Integrity Australia.

“It should be noted since the article has been published on the Herald Sun website, Joel’s management has contacted the club on his behalf to advise that the comments made by the source within the article are not reflective of Joel’s views and the source is not speaking on any authority from Joel.

“Joel has made it very clear that he has no issues or concerns with anyone at the Melbourne Football Club. As the club has previously stated, we will wait for the investigation to be completed before we update our supporters further.”

Under the code, Smith is now facing a four-year minimum ban for alleged trafficking or attempted trafficking.

According to the AFL Anti-Doping Code, which adopts WADA’s code, for “Trafficking or attempted trafficking or 2.8 (administration or attempted administration), the period of ineligibility shall be a minimum of four years up to lifetime ineligibility, depending on the seriousness of the violation”.

Under the code, the alleged new Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) against Smith will be further investigated by SIA, and the matters could be heard by an AFL Anti-Doping Tribunal in coming months.

Joel Smith is the son of former Melbourne and North Melbourne high flyer Shaun Smith.

The latest developments in the Smith saga come as Clayton Oliver has returned to full training ahead of the new season.

The four-time Melbourne best and fairest winner and 2021 premiership player has been subject to intense scrutiny since the end of last season and left the club’s training camp at Lorne before the Christmas break.

Oliver, who has a seven-year contract starting this season, had been in the headlines since last season finished.

He went to hospital in an ambulance after a seizure and also had a minor knee procedure post-season. The Demons then put out a statement from CEO Gary Pert that underlined Oliver’s need to meet certain standards.

He was granted leave in January to deal with personal health issues.

Club leaders defended the Demons’ culture during the off-season.“We haven’t got a culture problem. We’ve got some isolated incidents that we are going to deal with to drive our culture forward,” senior coach Simon Goodwin told former club great Garry Lyon on SEN in November.

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